PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rod Rivers (ranked 5898 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Stabel (ranked 5235 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rivers
vs
Stabel

206 cm
25
279 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rod Rivers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sam Stabel!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivers swats away the attempt to clinch by Stabel.

Rivers closes the distance and clinches.

Rivers jumps guard.
Rivers can't keep his opponent in guard - Stabel advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Stabel missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rivers tries to kick Stabel off but Stabel keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rivers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stabel is just content to waste time from the top position. Rivers takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stabel wants to get up but he can't break Rivers's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rivers scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Rivers misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rivers throws a lazy uppercut
and Stabel counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Rod Rivers has been cut.

Stabel feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Rivers manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stabel is looking to break free of the clinch but Rivers has double underhooks.

Rivers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stabel shoots and misses

and Rivers moves into the clinch.
Stabel tries to break the clinch but Rivers is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stabel tries to pull guard but Rivers won't allow it.

Rivers wants the takedown. Stabel is fighting it off but Rivers persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Stabel's guard against the cage.
Rivers is standing up over Stabel. Stabel looks to escape but Rivers dives into side control.

Rivers working the ground and pound from side control.
Rivers scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Stabel to see if he's OK.
Rivers working the head and body with strikes.
Rivers gets to mount! Stabel was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Rivers unloading with bombs!
Stabel looks winded!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rivers cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stabel is in a horrible position here. Rivers smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rivers with the ground and pound from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rivers cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rivers lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Stabel hang on?
Rivers breaks from Stabel's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rivers looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rivers scores with a couple of good head shots there.
You get the feeling that Stabel really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Rivers lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rivers works his way to his opponent's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rivers lands punches and elbows.
Rivers loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Stabel hold on?
Rivers lands strikes to the head.
Rivers lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Rivers loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Stabel hold on?
Stabel is taking damage to the body and head.
Rivers cracks Stabel with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Stabel from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Rivers has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rivers is working the ground and pound. Can Stabel escape?
Rivers controlling well, preventing Stabel from escaping the position.
Rivers lands a shot to the body.
Stabel is taking damage to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rod Rivers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rod Rivers's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rivers has closed the distance and engaged Stabel in a clinch.

Rivers pulls guard successfully.
Stabel must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Stabel wants to stand but Rivers has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Stabel sitting in guard doing not very much at all here. Rivers doesn't need a second invitation though! He's locked up a guillotine and he's squeezing tight! That is tiiiiiiiiight! Stabel paying the price for stalling here - he's pushing hard on the arm trying to free himself but it's no use! He's tapped! WOW, quick submission from Rivers - great work!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rod Rivers!